On the afternoon of September 12, local time, Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the first phase of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. During the meeting, BRICS leaders visited the BRICS 20th anniversary photo exhibition, planted trees together and took group photos.
In diplomatic situations, planting a tree of friendship, expressing friendship and making good wishes is a special protocol arrangement.
Over the years, from home diplomacy to overseas visits, Xi Jinping has planted trees of friendship on many diplomatic occasions——
June 2026 Pyongyang, North Korea Fir Tree
On June 9, 2026, Xi Jinping, accompanied by Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Council, visited the Central Cadre School of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang.
On the forest floor between the teaching buildings, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un jointly cultivated the soil with shovels, irrigated it, and planted a fir tree. The fir tree is evergreen all year round, symbolizing the everlasting friendship between China and North Korea.
On the morning of June 9, local time, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and President Xi Jinping, accompanied by Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Council, visited the Central Cadre School of the Workers’ Party of Korea in Pyongyang. This is where Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un jointly planted a fir tree on the woodland between the teaching buildings. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yan Yan
May 2023, Xi'an, China Pomegranate Tree
On May 19, 2023, after the China-Central Asia Summit, Xi Jinping and the five heads of state of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan jointly planted six pomegranate trees in Xi'an. This not only witnessed the millennium of friendly exchanges between China and Central Asia, but also symbolized the close unity and cooperation between China and Central Asia. It also placed expectations for a bright future of China-Central Asia relations.
On the morning of May 19, 2023, after the first China-Central Asia Summit, President Xi Jinping and the heads of the five Central Asian countries jointly planted six pomegranate trees, which not only witnessed the thousand-year friendly exchanges between China and Central Asia, but also symbolized the close unity and cooperation between China and Central Asia, and also placed their expectations for a bright future of China-Central Asia relations. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yin Bogu
September 2022 Samarkand, Uzbekistan Oak Tree
On September 15, 2022, Xi Jinping held talks with Uzbek President Mirziyoyev in Samarkand.
Mirziyoyev invited Xi Jinping to jointly plant an oak tree in the square outside the north gate of the Samarkand International Conference Center. The two heads of state worked together to cultivate soil and water the saplings. The oak tree represents long-term vitality and symbolizes the flourishing and everlasting friendship between China and Ukraine.
April 2019 Beijing, China Haitang
On April 28, 2019, Xi Jinping visited the horticultural exhibition in Yanqing, Beijing, with foreign leaders attending the 2019 World Horticultural Expo in Beijing, China, and attended the "Co-cultivating Oasis of Friendship" ceremony with foreign leaders.
In front of the Xifu crabapples, Xi Jinping and foreign leaders picked up shovels, bent down to cultivate the soil, and picked up wooden buckets to water the saplings.
March 2016, Prague, Czech Republic Ginkgo tree
On March 28, 2016, Xi Jinping met with Czech President Milos Zeman at the Granny Manor in Prague. Before the meeting, the two heads of state planted a ginkgo sapling from China in the manor. They worked together to cultivate the soil and water the sapling.
Xi Jinping said that the predecessors planted trees and the descendants enjoyed the shade. The ginkgo tree symbolizes everlasting friendship and the long-lasting friendship between China and the Czech Republic. It is hoped that the two countries will always view and grasp the overall development of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and a long-term perspective, so that China-Czech relations and the traditional friendship between the two countries will continue to thrive like the sapling we watered together.
Oak tree, Buckinghamshire, UK, October 2015
On October 22, 2015, Xi Jinping met with concurrent British Prime Minister David Cameron at the country house of Prime Minister Checkers. The leaders of the two countries held a four-and-a-half-hour long talk and exchanged in-depth views on issues such as state governance, bilateral relations, and the international situation.
At dusk, Xi Jinping and Cameron went to the lawn of the villa and jointly planted an oak tree symbolizing Sino-British friendship under the setting sun.
May 2015, Minsk, Belarus, spruce trees
On May 10, 2015, Xi Jinping held talks with Belarusian President Lukashenko in Minsk. Xi Jinping and Lukashenko jointly planted spruce trees symbolizing the friendship between the two peoples in the VIP Forest of the Independence Palace.
On May 10, 2015, President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Lukashenko planted a spruce tree symbolizing the friendship between the two peoples in the VIP Forest of the Independence Palace in Minsk. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Tao
April 2015 Pine Tree, Islamabad, Pakistan
On April 20, 2015, Xi Jinping held talks with Sharif, the concurrent Prime Minister of Pakistan, in Islamabad. The two sides agreed to upgrade China-Pakistan relations to an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, continuously enrich the connotation of a China-Pakistan community with a shared future, and commit to ever-lasting friendship between China and Pakistan.
That night, Xi Jinping and Sharif planted a friendship tree at the Prime Minister Office of Pakistan. Xi Jinping pointed out that this is a symbol of China-Pakistan friendship and that the friendship between the two countries is as evergreen as the pine tree.
November 2014, Tasmania, Australia Magnolia Tree
On November 18, 2014, Xi Jinping visited Tasmania, Australia, where he also served as Acting Governor of Tasmania. Burrow planted a magnolia sapling. Children from the local primary school watered the sapling.
Xi Jinping told the children that we must sow the seeds of China-Australia friendship so that they can take root, sprout, and flourish. The young people of the two countries are the seeds of friendship. I hope you will study and travel in China in the future.
November 2014, Beijing, China, Whitebark Pine
On November 11, 2014, after the first phase of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Informal Leaders' Meeting, Xi Jinping took a group photo with leaders and representatives of other APEC member economies, and then jointly planted the "APEC Asia-Pacific Partner Forest" with them.
Xi Jinping walked to a white-barked pine tree, took off his coat, picked up a shovel, bent down to cultivate the soil, and watered the pine tree. Whitebark pine is a unique tree species in China. It can reach a height of 30 meters when it reaches adulthood. It is straight, vigorous, prosperous and dense.
On November 11, 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders and representatives of member economies who attended the 2014 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting jointly planted the APEC Asia-Pacific Partner Forest. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Peng
March 2014 Brussels, Belgium Magnolia Tree
On March 30, 2014, Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Belgium and attended the opening ceremony of the Giant Panda Garden in Belgium’s Paradise Park with King Philippe of Belgium.
After leaving the giant panda park, the two heads of state and their spouses jointly planted new soil on a magnolia tree, which symbolizes friendship.
On March 30, 2014, President Xi Jinping and King Philippe of Belgium jointly attended the opening ceremony of the Giant Panda Garden in Paradise Park in Belgium. This is when Xi Jinping and King Philip jointly planted new soil on a magnolia tree, which symbolizes friendship. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Zhancheng
September 2013 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Fir trees
On September 3, 2013, Xi Jinping visited Turkmenistan, a Central Asian country. On the same day, Xi Jinping planted a fir tree symbolizing friendship in the Ashgabat Heads of State Forest. Looking at the saplings planted, Xi Jinping said that this tree is very meaningful. I will come and see it again on my next visit.
On September 3, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping planted a fir tree symbolizing friendship in the Ashgabat Heads of State Forest. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Ye
From the fir trees in Ashgabat to the pine trees in Islamabad, from the pomegranate trees in Xi'an to the joint tree planting in New Delhi...the trees of friendship span mountains and seas and take root in the earth. They bear witness to Xi Jinping's friendly footprints and carry the good wishes of China and people of other countries to know each other and walk hand in hand.
Reporter: Guo Chaokai
Source: China News Agency
